# Wibault 9 > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Wibault_9 > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Wibault_9.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wibault_9 > Source revision: 1329343824 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Fighter aircraft Wibault 9 General information Type Single seat fighter aircraft National origin France Manufacturer Avions Michel Wibault Number built 1[1] The **Wibault 9** or **Wib 9** was a single seat, [parasol wing](/source/Parasol_wing) [fighter aircraft](/source/Fighter_aircraft) designed and built in [France](/source/France) in the 1920s. It was a re-engined version of the relatively successful [Wib 7](/source/Wibault_7), but failed to reach production. ## Design The Wib 9 Simoun was a version of the Wib 7 with the latter's 480 hp (358 kW) 12-cylinder [radial](/source/Radial_engine) [Gnome-Rhône 9Ad](/source/Gnome-Rh%C3%B4ne_9A) replaced by a 400 [hp](/source/Horsepower) (298 [kW](/source/Kilowatt)) water-cooled [V-12](/source/V-12_engine) [Hispano-Suiza 12Jb](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hispano-Suiza_12J&action=edit&redlink=1) engine. It was designed and built during the competitive trials held in [Villacoublay](/source/Villacoublay) in 1926–1927, after which the lowly placed Wib 7 won a small order of 25 machines. Originally known as the **Wib 71**, the Hispano powered version was not completed until after these trials were over, by which time it had been redesignated the Wib 9.[2] Apart from the engine installation and armament, the Wib 9 and Wib 7 were almost identical. They shared the same all-metal structure, mostly [Duralumin](/source/Duralumin) covered with narrow aluminium strips applied longitudinally. The parasol wing was straight edged and of constant [chord](/source/Chord_(aircraft)), braced to the lower [fuselage](/source/Fuselage) with a pair of parallel [struts](/source/Strut) on each side which met the wing at about mid-span. There were [cabane struts](/source/Cabane_strut) over the fuselage and a [trailing edge](/source/Trailing_edge) cut-out in the wing over the pilot's [cockpit](/source/Cockpit) to enhance his visibility. The two designs shared the same flat sided [fuselage](/source/Fuselage) and angular [empennage](/source/Empennage), though the [fin](/source/Fin) of the Wib 9 was noticeably broader. They shared similar split axle fixed [conventional undercarriages](/source/Conventional_undercarriage). The dimensions were also the same apart from a 250 mm (10 in) increase in length resulting from the longer V-12 engine. Though the Wib 9 had both wing and fuselage mounted pairs of machine guns whereas the production Wib 7 had just the fuselage pair, a similar four gun arrangement had been trialled on the second prototype of the Wib 7.[2] The engine installation of the Wib 9 was different from that of the radial engined Wib 7 but close to that used on the [Wib 8](/source/Wibault_8_Simoun), another V-12 Hispano powered aircraft. The engine was totally enclosed within a [cowling](/source/Aircraft_fairing#Types) which clearly followed the contours of the two cylinder banks and was cooled by a retractable, half-cylindrical [radiator](/source/Radiator_(engine_cooling)) on the fuselage underside at the back of the engine. A two-bladed [propeller](/source/Propeller_(aircraft)) was fitted, as on all the Wibault parasol fighters. As well as being longer, the water-cooled V-12 was inevitably heavier than the air-cooled radial so the Wib 9 had an empty weight 90 kg (198 lb) greater than the Wib 7, but with the fuel load reduced by 16% the loaded weights only differed by 37 kg (82 lb).[2] The Wib 9 was flown for the first time no earlier than mid-1926. Limited flight trials suggested it was a little faster than the Wib 7 but no production contract followed and development was soon ended.[2] Only one was built.[1] ## Specifications *Data from* Green & Swanborough p.596[2] **General characteristics** - **Crew:** One - **Length:** 8.20 m (26 ft 11 in) - **Wingspan:** 11.00 m (36 ft 1 in) - **Height:** 2.90 m (9 ft 6 in) - **Wing area:** 22.00 m2 (236.8 sq ft) - **Empty weight:** 917 kg (2,022 lb) - **Gross weight:** 1,481 kg (3,265 lb) - **Powerplant:** 1 × [Hispano-Suiza 12Jb](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hispano-Suiza_12J&action=edit&redlink=1) water-cooled upright V-12, 300 kW (400 hp) - **Propellers:** 2-bladed **Performance** - **Maximum speed:** 243 km/h (151 mph, 131 kn) - **Range:** 600 km (370 mi, 320 nmi) [1] - **Service ceiling:** 7,100 m (23,300 ft) [1] - **Time to altitude:** 12 min 33 s to 4,000 m (13,123 ft)[1] **Armament** - **Wing guns:** 2×7.7 mm (0.303 in) unsynchronised [Darne machine guns](/source/Darne_machine_gun) firing outside the propeller arc. - **Fuselage guns** 2×7.7 mm (0.303 in) [synchronised](/source/Synchronization_gear) [Vickers machine guns](/source/Vickers_machine_gun) firing through the propeller arc. ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-AF_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-AF_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-AF_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-AF_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-AF_1-4) ["Wibault 9"](http://www.aviafrance.com/wibault-9-aviation-france-1557.htm). Retrieved 28 April 2013. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-G&S_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-G&S_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-G&S_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-G&S_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-G&S_2-4) Green, William; Swanborough, Gordon (1994). *The Complete Book of Fighters*. Godalming, UK: Salamander Books. p. 596. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-85833-777-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-85833-777-1). v t e Aircraft designed or built by Wibault Wibault built Wib 1 Wib 2 Wib 3 Wib 7 Wib 71 Wib 72 Wib 73 Wib 74 Wibault 8 Simoun Wib 9 Wib 10 Wib 10/II Wib 12 Sirocco Wib 121 Sirocco Wib 122 Sirocco Wib 123 Wib 124 Sirocco Wib 125 Sirocco Wib 130 Trombe Wibault 170 Tornade Wib 210 Wib 220 Wib 240 Wib 260 Wib 280T Wib 281T Wib 282T Wib 283T Wib 313 Wib 360T5 Wib 362 Wib 365 Wib 366 Wib 367 Wib 368 Vickers-Wibault Vickers Wibault Scout Vickers Vireo Vickers Viastra --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Wibault 9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wibault_9) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wibault_9?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.